Mary O. Porter, 94, died Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2009, at Israel Family Hospice House in Ames, IA. Previously she was a resident at Bickford Cottage and prior to that The Waterford of Ames, IA. A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Sidney Cemetery in Sidney, IA.
Mary Olive (Stafford) Porter was born Nov. 4 (birth certificate was registered on Nov. 10), 1914, in Hamburg, Iowa, the daughter of Lula Bell (Brown) and George Washington Stafford. She graduated from Hamburg High School. Mary married Harry Ellis Porter on Jan. 2, 1938, in Lincoln, NE. Mary worked for Interstate Nursery while living in Hamburg. Mary and Harry Porter moved from Hamburg to Atlantic, IA in 1947. After Harry's retirement from the IA DOT (aka Highway Commission) and from the Cass County Engineer position in Atlantic they moved to Elmcrest Retirement Community in Harlan, IA., after living for a few years in Ridgeway, MO. The two of them enjoyed several winters at Leisure World in Mesa, AZ. They moved to Ames, IA in 2006.
Mary is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Max and Monica Porter, of Ames; and one grandson, Nathan Porter, of Des Moines; along with several nephews and nieces, including Terry Stafford of Shenandoah, Iowa.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Ortal O. Stafford; and sisters, Esther E. (Stafford) Lytle, Helen H. (Stafford) Comstock, Ruth M. (Stafford) McCall and her husband Harry E. Porter of 71 years.
Memorials may be directed to Collegiate Presbyterian Church, 159 N. Sheldon Ave., Ames, IA 50014.
On line condolences may be sent to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com

Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care is assisting the family.